Solar panels

[petro]

I see people in the Twin Cities putting them over an asphalt shingle roof.
In winter, they are mostly covered in snow, and when it comes time to replace the shingles, because they don't last forever, all those panels need to be removed then reinstalled.
I suspect a lot of homeowners are going to be shocked by that added cost in the future.

But I plan on buying a 100 watt panel to charge my camper battery when boondocking.

 

[badger2]

I see people in the Twin Cities putting them over an asphalt shingle roof.
In winter, they are mostly covered in snow, and when it comes time to replace the shingles, because they don't last forever, all those panels need to be removed then reinstalled.
I suspect a lot of homeowners are going to be shocked by that added cost in the future.

But I plan on buying a 100 watt panel to charge my camper battery when boondocking.

Not just for boondocking. Badger's 100w panel goes on the bike trailer to recharge while in urban motion, and during the winter there are photons that still come through the clouds.

Increasing panel efficiency is the prism design (Australia) that breaks light into four channels so as to exploit the infrared.

Neutrinovoltaics is a developing tech that does not require sunlight. That panel can operate all of the time, which will reduce maintenance costs, and they can be stacked on one another.

 

[Flash]

Solar panels are fantastic, they save the planet, they give free energy.

So my question is, why hasn't every homeowner, landlord, and business got them on their roofs?

Is it because it's impossible or too costly?

Why Hasn't Everyone Gone Solar Already?

When you go solar, you contribute to global sustainability efforts. The sleek panels on your roof and the welcome savings on your utility bill may be a...

bestcompany.com

But it's free energy, isn't it??

Is this a satire or parody thread?

 

[elektra]

Is this a satire or parody thread?

both

 

[Flash]

both

It is really hard to figure out why somebody would ask such a dumb question as the OP asked given how uneconomical it is for solar.

You have to shell out a lot of money that you may break even in 30 years if you are lucky. And that is with all these stupid government subsidies and the filthy government artificially running up the cost of fossil fuels.

 

[elektra]

It is really hard to figure out why somebody would ask such a dumb question as the OP asked given how uneconomical it is for solar.

You have to shell out a lot of money that you may break even in 30 years if you are lucky. And that is with all these stupid government subsidies and the filthy government artificially running up the cost of fossil fuels.

and, all the systems today, are already obsolete

 

[Flash]

and, all the systems today, are already obsolete

What we really need are solar shingles that cost about what normal shingles cost, are just a durable and can be used to supplement the power grid electricity.

We have solar shingles now but they cost just about the same as putting up regular solar panels but with less output so they are uneconomical as hell.

I am an Engineer and I would put up solar panels if they were economical. I have done the calculations several times using real inputs and it never works out. And I live in the "Sunshine State".

These people that put up solar panels are idiots.

Like my neighbor that put up solar panels three years ago. When we had Hurricane Ian last year and were without power he was running an emergency generator just like the rest of us. If solar panels can't even supply electricity during a power outage then they are pretty well worthless, aren't they?

 

[westwall]

Solar panels are fantastic, they save the planet, they give free energy.

So my question is, why hasn't every homeowner, landlord, and business got them on their roofs?

Is it because it's impossible or too costly?

Why Hasn't Everyone Gone Solar Already?

When you go solar, you contribute to global sustainability efforts. The sleek panels on your roof and the welcome savings on your utility bill may be a...

bestcompany.com

But it's free energy, isn't it??

No, nothing is free. My original solar system failed, so I had to rebuild it with new modules.

Total cost of the modules is north of 70,000. Plus I added a new battery backup at 25,000.

I paid cash for it. It won't pay for itself in my lifetime, but, when the grid fails, which it does up here in the mountains, I will still have power.

Most people can't afford solar, and solar is wildly inefficient. So, as a grid fail backup it works, for most everything else, it doesn't.

 

[westwall]

What we really need are solar shingles that cost about what normal shingles cost, are just a durable and can be used to supplement the power grid electricity.

We have solar shingles now but they cost just about the same as putting up regular solar panels but with less output so they are uneconomical as hell.

I am an Engineer and I would put up solar panels if they were economical. I have done the calculations several times using real inputs and it never works out. And I live in the "Sunshine State".

These people that put up solar panels are idiots.

Like my neighbor that put up solar panels three years ago. When we had Hurricane Ian last year and were without power he was running an emergency generator just like the rest of us. If solar panels can't even supply electricity during a power outage then they are pretty well worthless, aren't they?

Yup. You have to massively over power the home to have solar work. My new solar array is triple the power we use to compensate. Merely doing a 100% offset is nowhere near enough.

 

[Captain Caveman]

No, nothing is free. My original solar system failed, so I had to rebuild it with new modules.

Total cost of the modules is north of 70,000. Plus I added a new battery backup at 25,000.

I paid cash for it. It won't pay for itself in my lifetime, but, when the grid fails, which it does up here in the mountains, I will still have power.

Most people can't afford solar, and solar is wildly inefficient. So, as a grid fail backup it works, for most everything else, it doesn't.

The only thing, imo, worth doing is having a hydro generator if you live beside a stream that has sufficient head drop. Other than that, logs and coal.

All these air heat source pumps, solar panels, and EV's are a Mickey Mouse knee jerk reaction to the Climate Alarmists.

 

[westwall]

The only thing, imo, worth doing is having a hydro generator if you live beside a stream that has sufficient head drop. Other than that, logs and coal.

All these air heat source pumps, solar panels, and EV's are a Mickey Mouse knee jerk reaction to the Climate Alarmists.

Yes, I have a water wheel too. As well as a multi fuel generator. Never place all of your eggs in one basket.

 

[Captain Caveman]

The price of a typical 3.5 kilowatt-peak solar panel system is about £7,000. Based on the Energy Saving Trust's figures, it could take someone living in the middle of the country, in a typical home, anywhere between 14 and 22 years to recoup the costs of installing panels, based on current Energy Price Cap rates. This depends on how much electricity you use and when you use it, and what you're paid under the smart export guarantee.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-solar-panels/

Will solar panels last 22 years, doubt it.

Don't move address, unless you have the know how to take the useless panels with you.

 

[westwall]

The price of a typical 3.5 kilowatt-peak solar panel system is about £7,000. Based on the Energy Saving Trust's figures, it could take someone living in the middle of the country, in a typical home, anywhere between 14 and 22 years to recoup the costs of installing panels, based on current Energy Price Cap rates. This depends on how much electricity you use and when you use it, and what you're paid under the smart export guarantee.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-solar-panels/

Will solar panels last 22 years, doubt it.

Don't move address, unless you have the know how to take the useless panels with you.

They should. My first set lasted 30 years. The new ones are far better constructed. The new ones are supposed to only lose .5% per year. We will see about that.

 

[badger2]

What we really need are solar shingles that cost about what normal shingles cost, are just a durable and can be used to supplement the power grid electricity.

We have solar shingles now but they cost just about the same as putting up regular solar panels but with less output so they are uneconomical as hell.

I am an Engineer and I would put up solar panels if they were economical. I have done the calculations several times using real inputs and it never works out. And I live in the "Sunshine State".

These people that put up solar panels are idiots.

Like my neighbor that put up solar panels three years ago. When we had Hurricane Ian last year and were without power he was running an emergency generator just like the rest of us. If solar panels can't even supply electricity during a power outage then they are pretty well worthless, aren't they?

Power outages is what the Jackery power station is for.

 

[Flash]

Power outages is what the Jackery power station is for.

Whole house backup battery power is very expensive and of limited duration.

A generator using fossil fuel is a much more viable option.

Living in Florida and preparing for hurricanes and actually going through hurricanes I have looked into all kinds of backup power.

The only thing that makes sense is a generator.

 

[Leo123]

I had plenty of hot water for a family of five . I did have a 90 gallon tank in the attic.

God forbid that thing ever leaked.

 

[Flash]

Will solar panels last 22 years, doubt it.

I have a good friend that is an executive with Duke power.

Duke has been doing stupid things and put in solar farms.

The reasons they put in the solar arrays have nothing to do with it being good power generating technology. It has to do with artificial financial and political considerations.

The thing that he told me that most people don't know about is that the maintence on the solar arrays are much more extensive than the general public realizes. Like solar panels really only having a useful life of less than five years. Or the breakage on the panels. Or the cleaning.

 

[Flash]

But I plan on buying a 100 watt panel to charge my camper battery when boondocking.

Most 100 W panels will be lucky to output 80 Watts on a nice sunny day. Be preferred for the average to be less than 50.

If you need 100 W get 200 W panels.

 

[westwall]

I have a good friend that is an executive with Duke power.

Duke has been doing stupid things and put in solar farms.

The reasons they put in the solar arrays have nothing to do with it being good power generating technology. It has to do with artificial financial and political considerations.

The thing that he told me that most people don't know about is that the maintence on the solar arrays are much more extensive than the general public realizes. Like solar panels really only having a useful life of less than five years. Or the breakage on the panels. Or the cleaning.

Your friend isn't accurate. Solar panels don't fail without help. Mine lasted 30 years. What they do is slowly degrade. You lose .5% efficiency every year. You must keep them clean to get full efficiency, if they are dirty you lose 10% right off the top. Most commercial panels are only giving 15% as is.

 

[badger2]

Whole house backup battery power is very expensive and of limited duration.

A generator using fossil fuel is a much more viable option.

Living in Florida and preparing for hurricanes and actually going through hurricanes I have looked into all kinds of backup power.

The only thing that makes sense is a generator.

Fossil fuel is a non-renewable, finite resource. Li recycling technology has now achieved 99-100% recovery. Neon2 solar panels in Florida, and the lithium in spent batteries should not be given back to the Chinese for any reason.